BIC book club!

[prettyinpa]

Some of us here have expressed an interest in a book club, myself, @mermadelove, @LCResz, @ZombieMetroAnt, @Mcakes. If you'd be interested in joining, reply below. My initial thought was to mail the books around but if it means that some people can't participate, then I'm all for dropping that requirement. I'd love this to be a place where we nominate our favorite book and others can read it and comment. Something fun for the new year!  ETA: the booklist:

1. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (16)
1. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (16)
3. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (13)
4. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (11)
4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson (11)
4. Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie (11)
7. Exit West by Mohsin Hamid (10)
7. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (10)
7. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (10) Discussion begins 8-13.
7. The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck (10) Discussion begin 9-2.
11. The Fault in our Stars by John Green (9) Time to discuss 9-26
11. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (9) Now discussing below.
11. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (9)
11. What Happened by Hilary Clinton (9) Now discussing below.
11. Fall of Giants by Ken Follett (9) Start reading now.
11. The Woman on the Orient Express by Lindsay Ashford (9)
11. milk and honey by Rupi Kaur (9)
18. A Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (8)
18. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty (8)
18. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (8)
18. Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell (8)
18. Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence (8)
18. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (8)
18. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (8)
18. The Paper Magician by Charlie Holmberg (8)
18. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (8)
18. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo (8)
18. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman (8)
18. The White Queen by Phillipa Gregory (8)

Participants in spoiler

Spoiler

Participants:

PrettyinPA

AlexaSteph

Beadshopgirl

LCResz

Kim888

SoBeautiful

Fatimamummy

ZombieMetroAnt

PalomaFoster

k617

bakeamuffin
Susubee
Skcfan
Lazybeautybeast
SpaceLlama
greeneyedgirl107

Mermadelove
Mcakes
Aaliaa
Serenely
Myinsidevoice
MissPuff
juliehnguyen
lmi82
Knowledgebeauty
Titian06
quspork
darlyndar
KellW
misscg
EuniceO
Elles117
ClassicallyFab
ShiraBT
melanito
Heylady14
ChicagoEngineer
Imightneedthis
PrettyPaint
rachface2921

[greeneyedgirl107]

I totally agree that it can be hard to obtain books, @snoflakefaerie 🙂  I personally don't like to spend  money on books, unless it's a rare paperback find at my library's used book store.  I understand you not wanting to read spoilers, too!  

As for the searching through the threads, I wish there was a better way to do that on BIC.  I know I've wanted to search within-threads on various topics on BIC, but only the thread titles can be searched as far as I know.  I wish there was another way.

[Titian06]

Yes, @greeneyedgirl107 that is so frustrating especially since some of the threads are hundreds to thousands of pages long and you know you saw "X" in that thread!

[greeneyedgirl107]

@Titian06You raise a good point!  IDK what the answer is.  Maybe once the cold weather hits, more people will be reading?  I can't remember when this was started -- maybe it was cold then, too!  Or, maybe the nature of the thread could evolve -- like when anyone buys a new book they could post to see if anyone else wants to read along; or if someone has an intense desire to discuss a book they just read recently (or even a long time ago) then they could post.  Just brainstorming! 

If it helps, I just read Piper Kerman's memoir "Orange is the New Black."  I'm trying to get through another memoir, "The Liar's Club."  I recently finished "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet."  And I tried to read "Saving Fish From Drowning" but gave up.  I also bought "The Bridges of Madison County," "The Help," and "Running with Scissors."  I need to get started on "World without End," too.  I started it 1.5 years ago and need to get back into it.  Oh - and I posted semi-recently that I read "The Glass Castle" which I think was amazing.  What have you been reading?

[Titian06]

@greeneyedgirl107 - I appreciate your brainstorming suggestions.  The format of the book club ( @prettyinpa ) is what has rekindled my interest in reading.  I haven't read this much in years.  I used to read all the time, but I went back to school...Anyway, I wouldn't know what to read if I didn't have that list!  I do remember you mentioning The Glass Castle.  I will definitely look into that one.  I saw the movie for The Bridges of Madison County.  I have no idea how similar or dissimilar the book and movie are.  The movie was good.

Over my vacation last month, I read The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked a Hornets Nest.  These are the two books that follow The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo.  I about to start a book of 300 of Erma Bombeck's newspaper columns.  The book was compiled in her memory.  I know I have a few more books put away somewhere that will eventually see the light of day.

[greeneyedgirl107]

@Titian06 I agree that the format is alluring!  It's great that you are getting into reading again.  I tend to go in spurts - I will read a bunch and then have trouble findings a good book so I will give up -- then the cycles starts all over again.

I had intended to read "The Girl Who" books by Larson, but got sidetracked with the movie - which I did really like.

I watched "The Bridges of Madison County" around the time when it came out, so I pretty much don't remember anything except the general idea of the movie and crying at the end!  IDK if I should bring the book with me on vacation or not!

Enjoy Erma's book - I'm not familiar with her, but I googled her and it sounds interesting!  🙂

[Titian06]

@greeneyedgirl107- I cried at the end too!  Maybe you should bring Erma instead.  You'll be laughing instead of crying.  I have several of her books such as If Life is a Bowl of Cherries, Then Why am I in the Pits and The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank.

Enjoy your vacation!

[greeneyedgirl107]

Thanks for the recs @Titian06

[Titian06]

Hi, @prettyinpa!  I sometimes wonder if we're the only ones.  You and I plus one or two (rotating) others post comments.  I'd be happy talking about the book soon.  Otherwise, like To Kill a Mockingbird, I'll forget what I have to say.

[prettyinpa]

Discussion for To Kill a Mockingbird is now open!

Wow, what an amazing book. I can see why this one is a classic, and it still resonates today. It was so good and I was making such exclamations that my hubby read it after I finished and he thought it really good. He's super picky about books, so that's saying something. How did you all like the book?

[IndyQT317]

The book was good. I purposely opted for another read in high school. After reading for the book club I understand why it's a classic. The racial undertone continues after 30 plus years. I had to push through chapters 20 and forward. Beyond the undertone, I love the main character's inquisitiveness. She had spunk and laughed out loud plenty of times. Some of her questions made the adults pause. That remains true to present day with kids as well. I love that Scout met Boo (Arthur) at the end and think he defended the kids. Not the final version Mr. Tate decided.

[heylady14]

I think it really is the Great American Novel®️. The story is so touching, and touches on complex themes of morality, race, mental illness, and gender without trying to oversimplify or talk down to the audience. I remember loving it in school, but was pleasantly surprised at how well the themes hold up today. Fun fact: Harper Lee worked for Truman Capote as his research assistant during his writing of In Cold Blood while she waited for TKAM to be published. Sounds like their friendship was an inspiration for both of them: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/14-things-you-didnt-know-about-harper-lee-and-truman-capotes-fri...

[Titian06]

@prettyinpa @tsavorite - This book was awesome!  I can't believe I never read it in high school.  I could really identify with the setting and the characters.  My grandparents lived in a northern version of this town.  Thanks for the info about the follow-up book.  I was contemplating reading it, but I'm not going to bother now.  

[tsavorite]

@prettyinpa,

I loved To Kill A Mockingbird!  I'm so glad that I read it again now as an adult. 

[prettyinpa]

@tsavorite-  I'm glad I reread it too. I vaguely remember it from high school and saw the movie a couple of years ago (movie only slightly resembles the book) and it's all new to me. I love that the book is from the perspective of Scout rather than some adult. And being taught by "The Dewey Decimal System", OMG, I was dying laughing. 😄

ETA: Remember "New Math"? That was such a failure, too.

[tsavorite]

@prettyinpa, 

I think that I may have read Mockingbird in Jr. High.  It was new to me when I reread it now also. I remembered a little bit from the movie, as I read.

Is this a safe place to mention how much I did not like Harper's other book, Go Set A Watchman.  I am practicing amnesia about Go Set A Watchman.  It never happened.

[prettyinpa]

@tsavorite-  Fine place to mention your dislike of Go Set a Watchman, I read bad reviews of it and never bothered. A sequel could have been so good, but I heard that the book felt sloppy and hurried.

[prettyinpa]

I finished To Kill a Mockingbird, but won't be ready to discuss until sometime next week, so take your time, ladies. If you need more time than that, just let me know, I understand it's summer and you all have better (or beachier) things to do.

[Titian06]

@prettyinpa - I'm finished with To Kill a Mockingbird as well.  Waiting until next week is fine with me.

[ParrotTulips]

I thought I would let all you book lovers know that Penguin Random House has a sweepstakes in which you could win all 100 books from PBS’s the Great American Read show. My two favorite books The Grapes of Wrath and 100 Years of Solitude are on that list. I see 100 Years of Solitude is also on your reading list so yay! I’m not sure if I am allowed to post the link here?...

[Tamara76]

I will be late to the party with To Kill a Mockingbird - I haven't read it in years, so I definitely want to read it before sharing.  I'm still working on Unqualified by Anna Faris - love her! 

[melanito]

what a beautiful view to read by!!! where do you live